Shoaib Bashir declared that his visa troubles were now resolved, following several trips to address the problem. His first day as a Test cricketer was one he will never forget.

The 20-year-old player was not allowed to participate in England’s pre-series training in Abu Dhabi due to his Pakistani background. This required him to return to the UK and resulted in him being excluded from the first Test.

After accumulating many frequent flyer miles, the individual returned to London and traveled to India on Sunday to watch their new teammates take a 1-0 lead. They also made their Test debut by taking the wicket of Rohit Sharma, but unfortunately gave up two runs for 100 from 28 overs, causing their initial excitement to fade away.

The 20-year-old confidently stated that he had no doubts about reaching this point, despite only being given the opportunity to play in the second Test due to Jack Leach’s injury. He remained certain that he would obtain his visa and though it was a bit of a challenge, he is now present and able to make his debut. Ultimately, that is all that truly matters to him.

“I was quite relaxed, to be honest. I had faith that the ECB and BCCI would resolve the situation quickly, so I am grateful to them for doing so. We have now arrived here. It was a great feeling to dismiss Rohit at the beginning, as he is a highly skilled player against spin – one of the best in the world. I couldn’t contain my excitement. It’s just my love and enthusiasm for playing cricket, which has always been my dream.”

According to Bashir, this day was significant, especially considering his struggle to gain attention from top-tier cricket clubs at first. He first played for Guildford CC and then spent time in the youth programs of Surrey and Middlesex. However, it wasn’t until he played for Berkshire in 2022 that Somerset recognized his potential and offered him a contract.

The England call-up? That was sparked by Ben Stokes catching a clip of his attributes – his 6ft 4in frame and good purchase on the ball – while bowling to Alastair Cook last summer, the first step on a fast-tracking to first a Lions camp and then a Test tour.

When asked about what Stokes said to him before going onto the field on Friday, Bashir responded: “He simply reminded me of why I started playing the game, to think of my family, and to go out there and showcase my skills. He reassured me that he already knows and has seen what I am capable of, so I should just go out there and do my best.” These words greatly boosted my confidence.

Source: theguardian.com